# What's worse high temperature or low humidity?



## Warren (Apr 6, 2007)

Here's the deal..

I built a walk-in humidor inside my office. The AC unit we installed is not sufficient for the whole office. But it's August so I'm going to ride it out and replace it next spring. For now I'm at about 75 degrees in my office during the day which puts the humidor at about 80 with the door closed. I can open the door and get the temperature down to 72-75 but in doing so the humidity drops to 50-55%.

I know neither 80 degrees nor 50% humidity is ideal. But given my circumstances for the next 30-60 days what's worse? At night it's a fairly ideal 70/70 in there. But during the day I either have a temperature or humidity problem. I'm wondering which is worse.


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## SCS (Aug 11, 2009)

Low humidity is worse IMO. I've smoked good cigars in the middle east, and they were fine as long as I kept them store at decent humidity. Extremes at either end aren't good, but I'd rather keep them 5 to 8 degrees warmer than in 15 to 20 percent lower humidity.


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## pitbulljimmy (Aug 1, 2009)

High temp. of about 80 degrees or so can cause tobacco beetle larvae to hatch inside your cigars and start eating their way out... You can always re-hydrate your cigars, beetle damage is permanent! JMHO

:canada:


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

55% is not terrible whereas 50% is too low. IMO
80 degrees is not good. However, since it is not a steady 80 degrees I think you may be ok.

Many cigar collectors store their cigars at 55% - 58% humidity for long term aging.


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## heavyd (Jun 16, 2008)

Good advice from the first 4 posts. If your temperatures stayed in the mid 70s it would be a different matter, imo, But 80 is pushing it. 

Look on the bright side...at least you have a walk-in humidor in your office


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## teoulennon (Jul 2, 2009)

I second the heat being worse. You don't want beetles!


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## SMOKE20 (Apr 26, 2008)

pitbulljimmy said:


> High temp. of about 80 degrees or so can cause tobacco beetle larvae to hatch inside your cigars and start eating their way out... You can always re-hydrate your cigars, beetle damage is permanent! JMHO
> 
> :canada:


Great post.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

*WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*

*What tobacco Beetle?*


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## Sigarz (Jul 29, 2006)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



madurolover said:


> *What tobacco Beetle?*


yes I too agree heat is WAY worse!!! :nod:


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## orca99usa (May 23, 2008)

Ouch. Awful to see those Padrons fall prey to the beetle scourge.


> High temp. of about 80 degrees or so can cause tobacco beetle larvae to hatch inside your cigars and start eating their way out... You can always re-hydrate your cigars, beetle damage is permanent! JMHO


That's my take as well. If I had to choose, I'd rather have a dry stick to moisten than a beetle infestation.


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## GJProductions (Aug 2, 2009)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



madurolover said:


> *What tobacco Beetle?*


woah this can happen????
I am scared, its been pretty warm here lately, 90's, and I don't have a proper humidor setup!!!!
Are my precious stogies going to be devoured by puny beetles?


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## SCS (Aug 11, 2009)

I stand corrected. Didn't know 80 deg F was warm enough to hatch the little boogers. I may have to focus on stocking up in the winter to avoid my stogies having hot summer UPS truck rides.


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## bigtattoo79 (May 16, 2009)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



madurolover said:


> *What tobacco Beetle?*


OK We have to ban that pic everytime I see that one I have bad dreams.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



bigtattoo79 said:


> OK We have to ban that pic everytime I see that one I have bad dreams.


I put a disclaimer at the top of my post that viewing the pic may cause nightmares. :mrgreen:


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## bigtattoo79 (May 16, 2009)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



madurolover said:


> I put a disclaimer at the top of my post that viewing the pic may cause nightmares. :mrgreen:


LMAO I didnt see that the first time.

Now I am not joking do not post it again.

LOL I am joking but you have to admit it sends chills down your back?

Thanks Lance


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

I just spent nearly half an hour going through my humidors, opening every box, inspecting every cigar after seeing that pic. That's the most unnerving thing I've ever seen. :shock:


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Pugsley said:


> I just spent nearly half an hour going through my humidors, opening every box, inspecting every cigar after seeing that pic. That's the most unnerving thing I've ever seen. :shock:


That is the main reason I even post the pic. It is not often that you hear of someone having beetle issues but if you do and are not vigilant about it then that could happen.


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## bigtattoo79 (May 16, 2009)

madurolover said:


> That is the main reason I even post the pic. It is not often that you hear of someone having beetle issues but if you do and are not vigilant about it then that could happen.


On a real note. I do understand the OPs concern. In LA we have very hot summers and the A/C has a hard time keeping up. We do keep the A/C set on 70 but I have to admit sometimes it gets up to 75. I dont know if the humi keeps the cool air in or not. But. I never open the humi during the hottest part of the day because I am at work. The max temp always stays no more than 73.

If I were The OP I would open it at night and let the cool air in and not open it during the hot part of the day while its hot in the office.

May or may not help. I could be way off on my thinking but just trying to help out.

Thanks Lance


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## MrMusicMan1 (Sep 5, 2008)

Heat, for sure. In northern states during the winter can be hell on cigars. Very low and very high humidity also suck but over dry is still smokable (not pleasant). Over humid is usually not smokable. Over heat and you'll have all sorts of helpers and vent holes.  See above! That's about the worst I have ever seen!


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## MrMusicMan1 (Sep 5, 2008)

bigtattoo79 said:


> On a real note. I do understand the OPs concern. In LA we have very hot summers and the A/C has a hard time keeping up. We do keep the A/C set on 70 but I have to admit sometimes it gets up to 75. I dont know if the humi keeps the cool air in or not. But. I never open the humi during the hottest part of the day because I am at work. The max temp always stays no more than 73.
> 
> If I were The OP I would open it at night and let the cool air in and not open it during the hot part of the day while its hot in the office.
> 
> ...


The air is on year round here at 75. No problems. I shoot for 65% RH, my personal preference.


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## Warren (Apr 6, 2007)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm not worried about tobacco beetles. The room temperature is 68-70 for about 18 hours of the day and just spikes to the high 70s touching 80 rarely during the hottest hours in the middle of the day. So it's not as if the room is baking at 80+ constantly.

I've been opening the door for a few minutes throughout the day to let cool air in. This causes the humidity to drop since it's about 40% in my office. But once it's cool I close the door and the humidifier gets it back to 70% quickly.

I guess I'll just stick with this approach until the weather cools off in 6-8 weeks and then I should be fine. Before next summer we'll replace the AC with a larger unit.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Warren said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I'm not worried about tobacco beetles. The room temperature is 68-70 for about 18 hours of the day and just spikes to the high 70s touching 80 rarely during the hottest hours in the middle of the day. So it's not as if the room is baking at 80+ constantly.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you will be fine brother. :tu


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## SmoknTaz (Jun 18, 2008)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*



madurolover said:


> *What tobacco Beetle?*


So not cool to scare people like that! :tease:


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## nativetexan_1 (Jan 1, 2008)

*Re: WARNING: Yoy may have nightmares by viewing this post!*

I'd call that an infestation for sure.


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## Memitim (Aug 8, 2009)

Pugsley said:


> I just spent nearly half an hour going through my humidors, opening every box, inspecting every cigar after seeing that pic. That's the most unnerving thing I've ever seen. :shock:


LOL, same here. Even now I'm thinking about installing a camera and motion detector. :spy:

My biggest concern has been high humidity as I dread mold taking hold, but now I'm going to have to figure out a failsafe for temperature as well. Had my AC unit crap out about a month ago and spent three days basking in the Florida heat, so I sure as hell don't want that to happen now that I'm building up some stock.


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## SmokeRings (Jul 5, 2009)

Warren said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I've been opening the door for a few minutes throughout the day to let cool air in. This causes the humidity to drop since it's about 40% in my office. But once it's cool I close the door and the humidifier gets it back to 70% quickly.


this happens not because your humidity is dropping like that, only because the hygrometer is most likely reading the air coming in. especially since you say it gets back to proper rh relatively quickly.
i would say what you are doing is just fine.
enjoy that walk in brother!


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## orca99usa (May 23, 2008)

> It is not often that you hear of someone having beetle issues but if you do and are not vigilant about it then that could happen.


I had beetles a while back and it was just a fluke that I found out. I happened to pull out an infested cigar to smoke one morning (it wasn't immediately obvious, because the damage was underneath a cedar sleeve). I cut the tip and the pre-light draw felt unusually loose, like the stick was leaking air. I slid the sleeve off and sure enough it was - from what the beetle larvae had eaten. The final toll: Five cigars lost, none of them high end (strangely, all Rocky Patel blends), and a lot of hassle cleaning the humidor and freezing everything else. It could have been far worse, and it probably would have been had I not chosen one particular Indian Tabac cigar to smoke on the way to work.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Something to consider... If youre cigars are staying at 70% for 18hrs a day and 50% for six, what's the big deal? What I mean is, the chances of you dropping more than a percent or two inside the actual cigar is slight. Leave the door open at night. Let well enough alone and rest easy, my brother.


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